Fence-post.



J. M. KISSINGER 8: S. H. J. HEFPNER.

FENCE POST.

' APPLICATION FILED DEC. 6, 1911.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912 4 Q "6' Q d \J Inna-:5

. 4 I] now V6014- iizzwb yw 5; i my? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. KISSINGER AND SAMUEL H. J. HE'FFNER, OF POTT SVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

FENCE-POST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMEs M. KISSINGER and SAMUEL H. J. HEFFNER, citizens of the United States, residing at Pottsville, in the county of Schuylkill and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Posts, of which the following is a specification.

The present. invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in fence posts, and has for its object to provide. a post which embodies-novel features of construction whereby it can be used with equal facility in connection with a wire fence, a picket fence, or a rail fence, as may be desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a post of this character which is simple and inexpensive in its construction, which can be employed in connection with various base members according to the nature of the soil or the ideas of the person erecting the fence, and which is strong and durable in its design.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fence post constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the lower portion of the post. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a slightly modified construction of the post. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through one of the base members, on the line 55 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the lower end of a post, showing afurther form of base member which may be employed.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Specifically describing the present embodiment of the invention, the numerals 1 and 2 designate two plates or strips of sheet metal which constitute the body portion of the post and have a spaced and parallel relation to eachother. A strip 8 of wood or similar material is interposed between the plates 1 and 2 at one of the edges thereof, suitable fastening members 4 being provided which extend through the plates and the wood strip. Atthe opposite side of the post, the edges of the strips 1 and 2 are connected by bolts or fastening members 5, spacing sleeves 6 being arranged upon the bolts and interposed between the plates so as to hold the plates in a proper spaced relation. The plate 1 has a series of openings 7 therein, andthe plate 2 is formed with corresponding openings 8. In forming the openings 8, however, the metal is only cut at the top and sides of the opening, tongues 9 being therebyprovided which are adapted to be bent inwardly, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, so as to span the space between the plates and rest upon the lower'edges of the openings 7.

Vhen the post is used for a rail fence, the rails 10 which are shown by dot and dash lines in Figs. 1 and 3 are inserted through the openings 7 and 8 and rest upon the tongues 9.. These tongues form a large bearing or seat for the rails so that the same are not cut and injured by the sharp lower edges of the openings in the plates.

When the post is used for a wire fence, the wire strands are secured to the wooden strip 3 by suitable fastening members such as the staples 11. These staples 11 may be spaced as found necessary, and provide a ready and convenient means for securing the wires in position.

Should it be desired to use the post with a picket fence, the slightly modified construction shown in Fig. 4 would be em ployed. In this particular instance, the plates 1 and 2 of the post are only provided with two sets of the openings 7 and 8, the said openings being located at the top and bottom thereof. The horizontal post rails would be inserted through these openings, and the vertical pickets could be secured to these horizontal rails in the usual manner.

The post is adapted to be used with numerous forms of bases, each of which comprises a pair of plates 12 of a width corresponding to the width of the plates 1 and 2. These base plates 12 are provided toward their upper ends with the transverse ribs 13 which bear against the lower ends of the plates 1 and 2, the upper ends of the plates 12 fitting against the inner faces of the so as to provide a rigid construction.

In Figs. 1 and 3, the base plates 12 are shown as diverging downwardly and having the lower corners thereof bent inwardly at 17 so as to provide wings adapted toengage the soil.

In Fig. 4, the plates 12 are provided in opposite edges thereof and at a point slightly below the shoulders 13 with transverse slits or cuts 18, the edges of the plates below the cuts being curved inwardly at 19.

A further modification of the base plates 12 is shown in Fig. 6, in which the opposite edges of the base plates are cut away as indicated at 20, the lower ends of the base plates having the edges thereof curved inwardly toward each other at 21. It will be obvious that these base plates may be shaped and cut in various manners with out departing in any way from the spirit of the invention.

It will also be obvious that, as previously described, the post may be employed with equal facility either in connection with wire fences, rail fences, or picket fences.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A fence post including a pair of spaced plates formed with corresponding openings adapted to receive fence rails, a longitudinal strip of wood interposed between the plates at one side thereof, fastening members connecting the plates, and a base applied to the lower ends of the plates.

2. A post including a pair of spaced plates having corresponding openings therein adapted to receive fence rails, connecting members between the plates, seats connecting the lower edges of the openings in the plates and serving as a rest for the rails, and a base applied to the lower ends of the plates.

3. A fence post including a pair of Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

spaced plates having corresponding openings formed therein for the reception of fence rails, tongues projecting from the lower edges of the openings of one of the plates and extending across to the lower edge of the corresponding openings in the opposite plate to provide seat-s for the fence rails, connecting means between the plates, and a base applied to the lower ends of the plates.

1-. A fence post including a pair of spaced plates having corresponding openings formed therein for the reception of fence rails, one of the plates being formed with tongues which project from the lower edge of the openings therein and extend across to the lower edge of the openings in the opposite plate to provide seats for the fence rails, a longitudinal strip of wood interposed between the plates at one side of the post, fastening members connecting the plates, and a base applied to the lower ends of the plates.

5. A fence postincluding a pair of spaced plates having corresponding openings therein for the reception of fence rails, one of the plates being formed with tongues projecting from the lower edges of the openings therein and extending across the space between the plates to the lower edges of the corresponding openings in the opposite plate, the said tongues forming rest-s for the rails, a longitudinal strip of wood interposed between the plates at one side of the post, bolts connecting the plates at the opposite side of the post, spacing sleeves applied to the bolts and interposed between the plates, and a base applied to the lower ends of the plates.

6. A fence post including a pair of spaced plates having corresponding openings therein adapted to receive rails, a strip of wood interposed between the plates at one side of the post, wire engaging members applied to the said strip, and fastening members connecting the members at the opposite side of the post.

In testimony whereof we afiiX our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES M. KISSINGER. SAMUEL H. J. HEFFNER. Witnesses:

JOHN W. CONRAD, ISRAEL L. RUBINsKY.

Washington, I). 0. 

